Adapter for flared tube fittings



i? 1947- E. A. WENK 2A24fi27 ADAPTER FOR FLARED TUBE FITTINGS Filed April 21, 1944 INVENTOR.

Wm M

Patented July 29, 1947 ADAPTER FOR FLARED TUBE FITTINGS Edward A. Wenk, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Keystone Manufacturing 00., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 21, 1944, Serial No. 532,133

,2 Claims. (Cl. 28586) This invention relates to adapters for flared tube fittings and more particularly to such adapters which permit a standard fitting to be connected with flared tubing of smaller diameter than the size for which it is designed.

Standard flared tube fittings, such as L's, T's, unions, crosses and the like, as now manufactured, are designed to be connectedkwith the flared ends of standard tubing of a cert in diameter. Thus a A. inch fitting can be ap lied to inch tubing but cannot be applied to tubing of a diflerent diameter. Where it is necessary to connect one size of tubing with another size of tubing it is necessary to provide a fitting specially designed for this purpose. For example if a T is to be used in conjunction with and inch tubing, its legs must be differently designed to accommodate tubing of these particular different diameters. As a result, to meet all demands, the dealer in flared tube fittings is required to stock a vast assortment of fittings to meet all requirements and all permutations. of tube sizes which a fitting may be required to connect. Further special fittings, that is, fittings designed to accommodate tubing of different diameters, are more. costlyjthls being due to the fact that such special fittings are less in demand and hence not subject to the savings of mass production to the same degree as standard fittings andalso due to the expense incident to inventory ofand error in supplying such special flttings.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a low cost adapter whereby any leg of any standard flared tube fitting can be,

adapted to connect with a tube of smaller diameter than that for which it is designed. By this means the dealer in fittings need only stock standard fittings and if a call is received for a special fitting he can supply a standard fitting with an appropriate adapter. By this meanshe is enabled to reduce his stock of fittings to a fraction of that now required and also meet any special demand which is made. Further the repairman need only carry a supply of standard fittings and adapters to meet any situation which he encounters on the job.

Another object is to provide such an adapter which permits the use of defective fittings, pardamaged by the turning nut compressing the flare.

Another object is to provide such adapters which are low in cost thereby to reduce the total cost of flared tubing installations which involves the use of tubing of difierent sizes.

Another object is to provide such fittings which are simple and can readily be used without danger of error.

Another object is to provide such adapters which, when used, provide a joint which is as strong and as leakproof as the joints heretofore ticularly those having damaged fiare faces on smaller sizes of tubing.

Another object is to provide such an adapterv provided by the use of special fittings.

Other objects are to provide such adapters which are not subject to deterioration and which will stand up under conditions of severe and constant use without leaking or requiring replacement.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a standard flared tube fitting in the form of an L, one leg of this fitting being connected with a smaller diameter tube by a pair of adapters embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central section through the fitting, adapters and tube shown in Fig. 1.

The invention is shown as used in conjunction with a standard fitting for flared tubing, the body of this fitting being shown as being in the form of an L 5. However, it will he understood that the invention is equally applicable to T's, crosses, unions or any of the various other types of standard flared tube fittings. The L 5 is shown as being a standard Ladapted to be connected at its opposite ends tothe flared ends of, say, two lengths of inch diameter'tubing. For this purpose the two le s 6 of the L are identical each being externally threaded, as indicated at 8, and the end of each being of beveled or conical form,

as indicated at 9, around the L-shaped bore l0 which extends through the L. Each conical taper or bevel 9 is of convex form and normally would fit into the flared end of 2. %'inch tube (not or other out-of-round form on its exterior to permit of the convenient application of a wrench thereto and is provided with a bore I3 which is threaded to fit on the threads 8 of the body of the fitting. This threaded bore l3 leads to an end wall M which is in turn provided with a smaller bore l5 of the size required to fit tubing tapering or conical form complementary to the convexoonical face- I at each-end oi the body I of the fitting.

In normal use the end of the assumed V inch tube (not shown) to be connected is flared to conform to the angle of the conicalor tapered faces I and II of the fitting in the usual and well known'man'ner; *E'The nut Ills flttd on this tube with the time i extending: through its small.

bore ll either before or after the tube'is so flared I and II of the fitting members and as the opposite faces of the fianges of the adapter members. The stem 28 of the male adapter member 2! is then fitted in the bore ill of the body I with its flange 28 against the corresponding conical face I of the fitting.

The nut l2. isthen fitted to the threads r of the body 5 and tightened down. Tightening this nut and thenut is then screwed tightly on one leg I of the fitting. This brings thefiare of the tubing 1 into engagement with the conical or tapered faces .9 and it of theleg and nut; respectively, and tightly compresses the flarebetween these'faces:

forces its conical face It into firm engagement with the conical face 40 of the female adapter member 35. Likewise this tightening forces the conical face 39 of this adapter member into firm engagement with the outer conical face of the 'fiare 2| of the tube 20. Likewise the inner conical so as to provide a leak-tight joint capable of I withstanding high pressures. v t v 7 The adapter'forming thesubiect of the present.

invention is to permit of connecting a tube 2| of smaller diameter; say V; inch, to one or-both legs 8 of theassumed inch fitting, the same nuts II. This smaller tube is provided with the usual: bellshapedflareii at theend Itofbe connected, thi's' fiare corresponding to "the former the complementary i'a'ces I and ll of ':the body and nuts or the-fitting. 1 However, it is not-practicable to provide such a flare in a smaller I tubens wouldkbe reliably heldbetween these faces v ,3 and I! of an oversized fitting and still provide a strong and leak-proof :Ioint. This is because providing such' an oversized fiare on an under-size 'tubenwould crack th metal at the. flare and result mleakase- The' adapter forming the subject or; the present invention.- is 'm'twema1e-ano2rems1e parts. The

male part isin'the-i' former: a tubular mushroom shapedbo'dyhaving a-tubular stem or sleeve 28 of an external diameter adapted to fit: into the 'fltting., Anannular bead II is preferably pro vided"to prolectoutwardly from ,the; face so to insure a leak-proof iointibetween the adapter member 15 and the'body iljofthe fitting. x

} Thefiemale part3i-of the adapter is in the form "of a tubular mushroom shaped bodyhaving a tubular stem-or sleeve 36 of an externaldiameter adapted tofit into the smallbdre l5 of the. nut i2 and. having an outwardly projecting bellshaped head orflangefl' atone end. head or flange 38Iexten'ds forwardly and outwardlytso as to provide aniinner concave beveled or. conical face 38' andiah outer convex beveled or conical face 40, these iacesls'and 40 being arranged at the same angle. asv the conical-faces 9 and ii of the body and nut of thefitt ingand the faces 29 and of the male adapter member 25. 1 When it. is desired. to-fit' a, ay, 3% inch body 5 and nut II to the endof, say,-.-the inch tube 20,. the nut l2. and, the female-adapter member 35 are first fitted5overthe undersized .tube 20 with the stem- 35 ofthe adapter-member 35' fitted the out. The endof the tubejlil is then flared,

the flare 21 being at the'same angle as theface's iace of this flare 2| is forced into firm engagement with the outer conical face 29 of the male adapter memberZS andthe bead 3| of this male adapter member is forced into firm engagement with the corresponding conical face 5 of the body I of the fitting. It will therefore be seen that a tight joint is provided by the adapter members 25 and 35between the oversized standard fitting and the undersized tube and that this joint will withstand the high pressures which flared tubing is partieu-' larly designed to handle.

It will be seerr that the adapter forming the subject: of the invention permits the use of defective fittings with tubing of smaller diameter than that for which the defective fitting is designed. Thus, suppose the flare face 9 or ii of the body or nut is injured, it will be seen that the adapter members will make firm contact with these faces and provide an uninjured fiare face for the flare 2i of the tube. Further, it will be seen that the adapter member 35 protects the flare of thetube from injury. Thus in normal application, without the adapters, the nut i2 on being screwed down'tmns after it has been brought into corn- .p'ressive relation with the flare 2|, this turning tending to tear the flare. By interposing the adapter member 35 between the fiare and the nut,

the turning contact is between the nut and the adapter member and a pure compressive force is impressed" on the flare.

any size or type of flared tube fitting to any smallersize of tubing, thereby eliminating the necessity for stocking the necessarily large numlow in cost and can easily be incorporated in the:

joint without danger of error and will provide a joint which is equally effective in preventing leak! age at high pressures as standard flared tube fitting joints. s

I claim as my invention: 1. An adapter between a thin walled tube having an end flare and an oversized fitting including a. body having a bore and an annular face 'at one end surrounding said bore and a nut secured to said one-endof said body and having a bore coaxial with and equal in diameter to said first bore and having an annulanface opposing said first annular face; comprising a sleeve fitted in said bore of said body and-having an annular flange engaging said annular face of said body, and a second sleeve fitted in said bore of said nut and of the same radial size as said first sleeve and having an annular flange engaging said annular face of said nut, said tube fitting in said second sleeve and having its flare held between said flanges.

.,. By stocking various sizes of adapters it will bev seen that the dealer and repairman can adapt 2. An adapter between a thin walled tube havconcave face of said nut, said tube fitting in said ing a conical end fiare and an oversized fitting second sleeve and having its flare fitted between including a body having a bore and a convex said flanges.

conical face at one end surrounding said bore EDWARD A. WENK. and a nut secured to said one end of said body and having a bore coaxial with and equal in diam- 5 REFERENCES CITED eter to said first bore and having a concave conical The following references are of record in the face opposing said first conical face; comprising file f this patent: a sleeve fitted in said bore of said body and having a conical flange fitting said convex face of said 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS body, and a second sleeve fitted in said bore of Number Name Date said nut and of the same radial size as said first 2,354,460 Hillis July 25, 1944 sleeve and having a conical flange fitting said 1,133,320 Rockwood Man-30, 1915 

